More Memories From Barbara Lewis

A Memory of Croydon.

Us oldies enjoy remembering the simple pleasures we had of Croydon, as someone said - the little zoo and the donkeys in Kennards arcade.
My favourite was that staircase in the middle as you went in by the doors, to me as a little girl it always seemed so grand.
Later on, about the year 1942, I saw little tables with manicurists sitting at the top of the stairs that adjoined the hairdressing department, I then and there stopped biting my nails and had an interview, I was accepted and after about two-weeks of being trained to manicure by one of the older girls, there I was with my own little table with two shiny chrome bowls either side, a complete manicure set and lots of lovely nail varnishes in amazing colours!
One day (a day I will never forget) I saw three young American soldiers watching me, I heard one say, "Go on then, it's worth having your hand held for only two shillings and sixpence!". Unfortunately his hands were very rough and needed a lot of soaking, the nails were quite bad and very hard, as for the cuticles they almost broke my clippers! Later on I was called into the manager's office and was accused of taking too long with one customer, plus flirting! I was only fifteen years old and left the job in tears.
After that I became a hairdresser working in many hairdressing salons around the Croydon area, ending in Allders. Happy Days